Paper-feeding device.



H. R. HAHN I F, MEYERS,

PAPER FEEDING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED IuIY I9; 19:6.

Patented June 5, 1917,

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Hx R, HAHN & F. MEYERS.

PAPER FEEDING bEvlcE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY i9. 1916.

Patented June 5, 1917.

LQQQSW 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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H: R. HAHN L F. MEYERS.

PAPER FEEDNG DEVICE.

APPLIcAioN F|LED1uLY19.191s.

Patented June 5, 191?.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

. H1B. HAHN-L F. MEYERS.

PAPER FEEDING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED 1uLYL9. 1916.

192231 SN?, Patented June 5,1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.-

UN STATES- PATENT HERMAN R. RAI-IN AND FRANKLIN MEYERS, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS T0 RICHARD HARVEY WRIGHT, OF DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA.

PAPER-FEEDING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J une 5, 1917.

Application led .Tuly 19, 1916. Serial No. 110,066.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, HERMAN R. RAHN and FRANKLIN MEYERS, citizens of the United States, and residents of the city of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Paper-Feeding Devices, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in paper feeding devices, and has for its object the provision of an improved device of this character adapted to feed and deliver' single sheets of paper from a stack withv great rapidity and efficiency.

The invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which,

Figure 1 is a side view of a device embodying our invention,

Fig. 2, a top plan view of the same,

Fig. 3, a longitudinal vertical section of the same,

Fig. 1, a transverse section taken substantially on line 4 1 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 5, a side view of the forward portion of the device showing the side opposite to that shown in Fig. 1.

The preferred form of construction, as illustrated in the drawings, comprises suitable supporting` standards 6 carrying a hopper 6, said hopper being substantially rectangular in form and open at both top and bottom. The hopper 6 is provided at the rear with a supporting` ledge or flange 7 and two vertically adjustable angular brackets 8 rendered adjustable through the medium of a binding screw 9 taking through a slot therein, as shown in Fig. 1. The brackets 8 are arranged at either side of the 1 ledge 7 and are provided with upstanding rubber projections 10 arranged to frictionally engage the extreme rear edges of the bottommost sheet of paper in the hopper 6 to exert friction thereon, resisting withdrawal. A knife blade 11 is mounted in a suitable arm 12 on the hopper 6 in position to engage the lowermost sheet of paper in said hopper all@ out a slight Slit 'therein as the saine is withdrawn, said knife blade thus engaging the sheet of paper neXt above the one being withdrawn to prevent disturbance of the stack. A supporting arm 13 is arranged under the rear central portion of the hopper' 6 and is mounted on an adjustable rod 14 mounted in brackets 6 and rendered angularly adjustable by means of binding screws 15, said arm serving to support the central rear portions of a stack of paper sheets in the hopper 6. Supporting ledges or sl'ioulders 7 are provided at the sides of the hopper 6 at the eXtreme forward portions thereof, serving to support the forward side portions of the stack in said hopper.

Two parallel shafts 16 are arranged in the brackets 6 and carry rubber feed rollers 17 adjustably secured thereto by means of set screws 17, said feed rollers being set out of longitudinal alinement with each other, as shown in Fig. 2. and being positioned to contact with the lowermost sheet of a stack of sheets in hopper 6, thus serving` as supports for the forward portions of the stack of sheets, as will be readily understood. The shafts 16 are arranged to reciprocate longitudinally in guide slots 18 in the brackets 6 and are connected together at each end by means of bars 19. The foremost shaft 16 is connected at each end by means of links 2O with crank pins 21 and 22, securedL respectively to the outer face of a gear 23 and a sprocket wheel 24C fixed to the corresponding ends of drive shaft 25, suitably mounted in brackets 6. Sprocket wheel 2-1 and shaft 25 are driven by means of a sprocket chain 26 from any suitable or desired source of power. The arrangement is such that as shaft 25 is rotated, through the medium of sprocket chain 26, the shafts 16 will be caused to reciprocate longitudinallv under the bottom of the hopper 6 with the upper peripheries of the rollers 17 contacting with the bottom of 'the bottommost sheet of paper in said hopper.

A rack bar 27 is secured to one of the brackets 6 under the corresponding guide slot 18 and pinions 28 are looselv mounted on the shaft 16 in mesh with said rack bar. Each of the pinions 28 carries a guide plate or disk 29 having a spring held pawl 3Q v binding screws 49 Operated in slotsY 47, as

mounted thereon and engaging a corresponding ratchet 31 fixed to vthe corresponding shaftl. The arrangement is such that as shafts 16 reciprocate in a forward or feeding direction, said shafts will be caused to rotate in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 3, thus causing the upper peripheries of the rollers 17` to travel forwardly under the stack of sheets in hopper 6 at a speed greater than the forwardmovement of 4the shafts 16, thus increasing the frictional action against the bottommost sheet of the stack in the hopper and the efficiency of the feeding action. Upon theV return movement of shafts 16, the pawls 30 release ratchets 31, thus permitting the rollers 17 to roll idly against the bottom ofthe bottommost sheet in the hopper 6 without affecting the same. Likewise the rollers 17 are always free for rotation in the feeding` direction of the bottommost sheet so as to permit of the ready withdrawal thereof at a speed greater than the feeding speed of travel of said rollers.

A main feed roller 32 is xed centrally to shaft 25 in position to cooperate with rollers V17 and a supplemental feed roller 33 is arranged above main roller 32 on a shaft 34, as indicated. Shaft 34 is mounted in notches 35 in brackets 6 and bearing blocks 36 are arranged in said notches on top of the shaft and yieldingly held to position by means of adjustable compression springs 37, thus permitting of slight yielding of the roller 33 relatively to roller 32 to permit of the passage of a sheet of paper therebetween. Shaft 34 is provided with a pinion 34 meshing with gear 23 to cause movement of the roller 33 in unison with the roller 32. The roller 33 is provided with a central groove 38 adapted to accommodate a feed strap 39, as indicated. Another supplemental feed roller 40 is arranged under the roller 32 and is fixed to a rod 41 fixed in the brackets 6, the roller 40 being provided with a central groove 42 for the accommodation of strap 39 and with bearing fianges 43 adapted to hold a sheet Vof paper 44 being fed thereover in a transversely curved position, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4. VAnidler lroller or guide 45 is fixed to a rod 46 adjustable in notches 47 in arms 48 on the brackets (i, said idler being also provided. with a guide groove for the strap 39.v The idler 45 is rendered adjustable by means of indicated. The strap 39 is passedy around therollers 33 and 40 over substantially half of the periphery of roller 32 and over vthe idler roller45, said idler roller 45 being ads justed to adjust the tension of said strap.

The arrangement is such that at Veach reciprocation of the feed rollers 17, the bottommost sheet of paper in the stackY will be delivered to the feed'ro`llersf32 and 33, and

withdrawn from the hopper, said sheet passing around the 'roller 32 and being held 'thereagainst by the action of feed strap 39.

The sheet ofpaper 44 is delivered over the guide or feed roller 40 in a transversely curved condition which stiffens the same to facilitate discharge. Y

j Also, it-willbe observed that each sheet will be reversed in position, as fed from the hopper, thus serving to deliver the sheets printed side down. rPhe feed rollers 17 are laterally adjustable to different widths of paper and more or less of the same may be employed, as desired, and as conditions require. Due to the peculiar arrangement, the contacting surfaces of the feed rollers 17 have high frictional efficiency, since their contacting surfaces are rotating in the same direction as their bodily travel. Vrllhe points of vcontact A onV the rollers are 'constantly changing, thus tending to preserve the fiber. The rollers 17 are also adjusted to touch. the bottommost sheet in different paths, thus avoiding injurious results on said sheets and increasing the feeding efliciency.

While we have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying our invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification' without departing from the spirit of theinvention. 147e, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail ourselves of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A paper feeding device comprising a hopper; one or more feed rollers arranged to reciprocate relatively to said hopper in ffl continuous contact with a stack of articlesV therein; and means for reciprocating said rollers and rotating the same during feeding motion Vto cause their contacting surfaces to move in the direction of the motion, substantially as described. j

2. A. paper feeding device comprising a hopper; one or more feed rollers arranged to reciprocate relatively to said hopper in Vfeeding motion to' causetheir contacting'surias faces to move in the direction of the motion, substantially as described.

4. A paper feeding device comprising a hopper having an open bottom; one or more feed rollers arranged to reciprocate under said hopper' in contact with a stack of articles therein; and means for reciprocating said rollers and rotating the same during feeding motion to cause their contacting surfaces to move in the direction of the motion and permitting said rollers to cease rotation during the idle motion thereof; substantially as described.

5. A paper feeding device comprising a hopper; one or more feed rollers arranged to reciprocate relatively to said hopper in contact with a stack of articles therein; means for reciprocating said rollers and rotating the saine during feeding motion to cause their contacting surfaces to move in the dircction of the motion; and supports in said hopper for the front side edges and the rear of a stack of articles therein, substantially as described.

G. A paper feeding device comprising a hopper; one or more feed rollers arranged to reciprocate relatively to said hopper in contact with a stack of articles therein; means for reciprocating said rollers and rotating the same during feeding motion to cause their contacting surfaces to move in the direction of the motion and permitting said rollers to cease rotation during the idle motion thereof; and supports in said hopper for the front side edges and the rear of a stacl; of articles therein, substantially as described.

7. A paper feeding device comprising a hopper having an open bottom; one or more feed rollers arranged to reciprocate under said. hopper in Contact with a stack of articles therein; means for reciprocating said rollers and rotating the same during feeding motion to cause their contacting surfaces to move in the direction of the motion; and supports in said hopper for the front side edges and the rear of a stack of articles therein, substantially as described.

8. A paper feeding device comprising a hopper having an open bottom; one or more feed rollers arranged to reciprocate under said. hopper in contact with a Stack of articles therein; means for reciprocating said rollers and rotating the same during feeding motion to cause their contacting surfaces to move in the direction of the motion and permitting said rollers to cease rotation during the idle motion thereof; and supports in said hopper for the front side edges and the rear of a stack of articles therein, substantially as described.

9. A paper feeding device comprising a hopper; one or more feed rollers arranged to reciprocate relatively to said hopper in contact with a stack of articles therein; means for reciprocating said rollers and rotating the same during feeding motion to cause their contacting surfaces to move in the direction of the motion and means at the rear of said hopper to reta-rd motion of any of said stack; substantially as described.

l0. A paper feeding device comprising a hopper having an open bottom; one or more feed rollers arranged to reciprocate under said hopper in contact with a stack of articles therein; means for reciprocating said rollers and rotating the same during feeding motion to cause their contacting surfaces to move in the direction of the motion and permitting said rollers to cease rotation during the idle motion thereof; supports in said hopper for the front side edges and the rear of a stack of articles therein; and means at the rear of said hopper to retard motion of any of said stack, substantially as described.

ll. A paper feeding device comprising a hoppr; means for withdrawing sheets from said hopper; a knife bla-de arranged to Contact with said sheets at the rear; and one or more friction members arranged to contact with said sheets at the rear; substantially as described.

l2. A paper feeding device comprising a hopper having an open bottom; means for withdrawing sheets from the bottom of said hopper; a knife blade arranged to contact with the bottommost sheet at the rear; and one or more friction members arranged to contact with the bottommost sheet at the rear7 substantially as described.

13. A paper feeding device comprising a hopper; a shaft arranged to reciprocate in operative relation with said hopper; one or more feed rollers on said shaft arranged to contact with articles in said hopper; a gear loose on said shaft; a rack bar meshing with said gear; a pawl and ratchet connection between said gear and shaft arranged to rotate said rollers during the feeding motion to cause their contacting surfaces to move in the direction of the motion, substantially as described.

14. A paper feeding device comprising a hopper having an open bottom; a shaft arranged to reciprocate under said hopper in operative relation with a stack of articles therein; one or more feed rollers on said shaft arranged to Contact with the bottommost article in said hopper; a gear loose on said shaft; a rack bar meshing with said gear; a pawl and ratchet connection between said gear and shaft arranged to rotate said `rollers during the feeding motion to cause their contacting surfaces to move in the direction of the motion; substantially as described.

15. A paper feeding device comprising a main feed roller; two supplemental feed rollers arranged at diderent points on J[he periphery of said main feed roller; an idler roller; a flexible element passing'l over said names to this speceaton n the presence of idleri'oller, around said supplemental feed two subscribing Witnesses. Y rollefs and alongthe periphery of' said main Y HERLAN R RAHN `feed roller and means for malntanng a Y sheet passing from said device n e trans- FRANKLIN MEYERS' vel'sely curved Condition, substantially as Witnesses: deserlbed. JOSHUA R. H. Po'iTs,

1n testimony whereof We have signed our B. G. RICHARDS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Batents, Washington, D. C. 

